Defence ministry warns media outlets

Information about the deployment of military units, their strength, movement of the military equipment, information about the command is a military secret and dissemination of such information is prohibited, spokesperson of Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry Vagif Dargahli told Trend on Aug.5.

Sometimes, several media outlets of Azerbaijan and social networks spread information about the deployment of military units of the country's armed forces, movement of military equipment and regretfully, the Armenian side follows and uses this information, the spokesperson added.

Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry has repeatedly urged media outlets and users of social networks to be careful while using and spreading such information, according to Dargahli.

The spokesperson pointed out that the abovementioned remarks do not concern all media outlets and journalists, as most of them show their positions as citizens and defend the interests of Azerbaijan and its armed forces.

He said that the information which can mislead the population shouldn't be spread through social networks and media, adding that such information should be verified only through one official source - press service of Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry.

"The Defense Ministry constantly posts information on its official website. Moreover, media representatives can get any information by calling the ministry's press service," Dargahli said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the U.S. are currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.